Head of Partnerships

Our client is a well-established education group with a strong presence across children’s social care and education services. As part of an ambitious growth strategy, they’re creating a brand-new senior role to lead strategic partnerships and open new markets — reporting directly into the Commercial Director and working closely with senior leadership to shape the organisation’s future direction.

This is a strategic, relationship-led role rather than a conventional BD position — you’ll be opening doors, not chasing existing demand. Expect genuine influence: representing the organisation with Local Authorities, Mayors, Combined Authorities, commissioners and education leaders, and turning high-level relationships into real commercial outcomes.

What you’ll get

• Salary up to £70,000
• 10% performance-related bonus
• Hybrid working, based on the Leeds head office, with flexibility and travel built in
• The opportunity to shape a brand-new strategic function from the ground up
• A genuine seat at the table with senior leadership

What you’ll be doing

• Identifying new growth opportunities, markets and commissioning models across children’s social care and education
• Building and maintaining strategic partnerships with Local Authorities, schools, colleges, charities and other key stakeholders
• Acting as a senior ambassador at conferences, forums and strategic meetings, building credibility and influence with senior decision-makers
• Developing a strategic pipeline of opportunities and working with the Head of Business Development to convert these into commercial outcomes
• Tracking government policy, funding and commissioning developments to spot opportunities ahead of the market
• Contributing to business cases, propositions and commercial strategy alongside the Commercial Director

What we’re looking for

• Significant experience in business development, partnerships or strategic commercial growth
• Strong understanding of children’s social care and/or education
• A track record of building relationships with senior stakeholders, ideally within Local Authorities or the wider public sector
• Solid grasp of commissioning and public sector decision-makingExcellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills, with the confidence to operate at senior/strategic level
• Desirable: experience with Mayors, Combined Authorities or regional commissioning structures, and an existing senior network across the sector

This is a rare chance to shape a brand-new strategic function and genuinely influence the future direction of a growing education group.

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